The most common cause of dogs and cats bad breath also called Halitosis is periodontal disease. Did you know that more than 85% of dogs and cats have periodontal disease by the age of 4?Periodontal disease starts when plaque attaches to the surfaces of the teeth around the gums. Plaque is a transparent adhesive fluid that contains bacteria. When plaque is allowed to accumulate on the teeth calcium salts in food and saliva will deposit on plaque and start forming hard dental tartar or calculus. Dental tartar starts to form within a few days when the teeth are not kept clean. The bacteria in plaque and tartar will start to irritate the gums which will progress to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth. These bacteria will slowly eat away at the teeth's support structure eventually leading to tooth loss.Periodontal disease is also painful to your pet. When the gums are irritated and infected it can cause bleeding, some pets may have trouble chewing hard food, droop food while eating, pawing at their mouth or lose their appetite. But unfortunately most pets will not show signs and a veterinary examination is necessary to diagnose periodontal disease. If not treated and your dog or cat develops advanced periodontal disease, the bacteria surrounding the roots can enter the blood stream and cause damage to the heart muscle, kidneys and liver.The best way of managing gum disease is prevention. Implementing oral health at home is the key to a healthy mouth. The gold standard is daily brushing of your pet's teeth. As long as the surfaces of the teeth are brushed to remove plaque and prevent tartar formation you have a better chance of keeping your pet gums in good health. We all know it's not all dogs and cats that will allow their owner's to brush their teeth and we have other options. By daily use of products that have been awarded the VOHC seal it will help you keep your pet mouth healthy. For a complete list of VOHC accepted products for your cat and dog, you can Visit: www.vohc.org/accepted_products
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